Throughout the 20th century, tons of asbestos were mined in our country and put in thousands of everyday products. Asbestos was very inexpensive and was used as filler in many different products throughout many different industries. For example, asbestos was widely used in insulation, building materials, appliances, and machinery.
There are a number of different jobs where workers were exposed to a large amount of asbestos on a very frequent basis. People who have worked as building engineers, construction engineers, and inspectors may have an increased risk of developing mesothelioma cancer due to asbestos exposure on the jobsite.
Those who have worked as building engineers, construction engineers, and home inspectors are among the millions of people who may have been exposed to asbestos in the course of their employment. Asbestos dust, which can lead to mesothelioma cancer, was historically common in high concentrations in homes and construction sites.
Building engineers and home inspectors were both often responsible for the design and inspection of construction sites, in both commercial and residential markets. Asbestos filler was often used in construction materials because of its properties to retain heat and cold and resist heat and flame. It is also a strong mineral, making building materials sturdy and durable. Inspection of homes and commercial properties may have exposed these engineers and inspectors to asbestos found in ceilings, wall insulation, insulation for electrical wiring, pipes, stove tops, paint, and floor tiles among other materials.
In addition, building engineers were often times responsible for overseeing the construction, design, repair, and maintenance of buildings. Asbestos materials were often found in machinery and equipment an engineer operated on job sites. These engineers may have also seen exposure from the asbestos being handled by those they were responsible for overseeing. Once asbestos fibers are inhaled or ingested they can stick to mucus in the throat and lungs. These fibers could then hurt mesothelial cells, putting building engineers and inspectors at increased risk of developing peritoneal mesothelioma, pleural mesothelioma, or pericardial mesothelioma along with other asbestos-related diseases.
Unfortunately, millions of people have been exposed to asbestos over the years. Only now are we able to see the disastrous effects of asbestos exposure in the workplace. Generally, it takes 10 to 60 years from the time of asbestos exposure until symptoms appear or mesothelioma is diagnosed.
Many of the companies have established trust funds to pay compensation to persons injured by asbestos.
If you have mesothelioma, or another asbestos-related injury, and wish to consult an attorney about your legal rights to compensation, CLICK HERE for a free consultation.